This invention relates generally to the field of measuring containers and more specifically to an apparatus for storing, dispensing, and measuring dry granular and powdered materials.
Measuring Containers that measure a predetermined quantity of dry material from a container are known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,092 describes a device generally including a container having a dispensing member and a measuring chamber. The measuring chamber is varied by an adjustment member. To operate the device, a handle is clocked to dispense the material from the container in single measurement increments at a time. The device can only dispense single predetermined measurement increments at a time. The measuring chamber then empties by gravitational flow through the chute into any suitable container. The handle is then released to permit the spring to return the member to the quiescent position, where the measuring chamber is refilled. To alter the amount of granular material dispensed, the device needs to be disassembled and reassembled by removing a screw and the container member. The adjustment member is then accessible to be rotated to change the spacing of the walls and to set a new volume for the measuring chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,265 describes a device that measures and dispenses dry materials from a housing generally including a canister type holder and an adjustable drawer. The drawer is compartmentalized into measured divisions for measuring the materials from the canister. The operate the device, a user pushes in the drawer, removes the cover from the housing, adds the materials to be dispensed into the housing, adjusts the height of an index member into a slot representing the desired quantity of material to be dispensed, positions the unit over a receiving container, pulls out a tab and the drawer to discharge the material into the receiving container, and then reinserts the drawer to refill the container. Separate interchangeable drawers can be provided to accommodate other measurement volume increments.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, there are several drawbacks to their design. First, the devices can only measure identical quantities of material at a time. In order to adjust the incremental quantity of the materials being measured, a user is required to disassemble or interchange one or more parts within the apparatus with no regard for measurement accuracy. Second, the operation of these devices requires several manual or reiterative steps such as having to re-clock the device in order to obtain another portion of the same quantity of material. Third, the inventions either include a receiving container for collecting the dispensed materials; require positioning the device over a separate receiving container for collecting the dispensed materials; or inserting a separate receiving container into the device to receive the discharged materials from the container. In either case, additional steps and components are required.
Other apparatuses have been proposed such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,366 which includes a motor for automating the measuring and dispensing functions. But, such apparatuses require several parts and complex assemblies. For the purpose of manufacturing and mass production, these are well-known obstacles.
The present invention is designed to be a better measuring container, for broad market appeal, and that overcomes the shortcomings in the prior art. Unlike the prior art, the present invention is quick and easy to use and requires minimal parts or assembly. The present invention is designed to accurately measure any incremental quantity of dry materials dispensed from its container in a single operation, have few parts with minimal assembly requirements for ease of manufacturability and mass production, be compact and space-efficient for maximizing kitchen storage space, be air-tight for preserving the freshness of the materials being stored in the container member when not in use, and combine the measuring and receiving functions so as to reduce the steps and components needed for operating the device.